Contemporary testing of software applications is performed within the context of the vendor providing the software applications. Testing of interaction of one vendor's applications with the multitude of applications provided by different vendors presents significant problems because the combinations and permutations of available applications cannot reasonably be tested by the actual software vendors. Additionally, each software application has a plurality of user-defined configuration options that can substantially affect how each application behaves for a particular user. This aspect adds to the complexity of a vendor's ability to adequately test each application and does not guarantee to a user that a set of applications will be acceptable for their needs.
Another consideration is the operating environment in which a user might be attempting to use a set of applications. Cell phones, tablets, laptops and other devices have a significant concern about battery life and the power requirements of a set of applications. User defined configuration options can also have an impact in this area.
Security and privacy across applications is yet another concern. Applications can be well behaved when used together or interfere with each other while either simultaneously installed or simultaneously used.
Based on these and other considerations, what is needed is a way for a given user to select and configure a set of applications destined for a particular operating environment prior to making an actual purchase/download decision. Further, information gathered in one user's “test” or “trial” environment can be collected and correlated to provide information about each individual application in an effort to inform other users of potential usability and desirability of particular applications (e.g., a reputation of an application or set of applications).